Collingwood will use its off-season to rejuvenate ahead of another blockbuster campaign in 2027.

Having gone down on the siren in the inaugural Wildcard Final against the Western Bulldogs, the playing squad commenced their break after a gruelling year.

It kickstarted the list transition, with Magpie legends Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury moving on, while six players’ time at Club came to an end.

Award season for 2026 kicks off with the Brownlow Medal on Monday 21 September, with fifth-year star Nick Daicos looking to claim his first crown.

The next week, the entire Pies squad will reconvene to celebrate the year on Friday 2 October for the E.W. Copeland Trophy.

Sidebottom and Pendlebury’s glittering careers will be celebrated at the event, while the night will also crown 2026’s best player.

On the same day, the AFL Free Agency Period window opens, with the chance for new talent to enter the KGM Centre commencing.

That runs for a week until the next Friday, while the 2026 Continental Tyres Trade Period opens on Monday 5 October and closes the following Wednesday.

The players will remain on break for this period, with first to fourth years returning for AFL pre-season on Monday 23 November, and the remainder of the squad of Monday 30 November.

They’ll be joined by the players selected in the Telstra AFL Draft, which will be held across two nights on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 November.